Image Source: Getty / Charley Gallay
In the past two years, Priscilla Presley’s life has been back in the spotlight. Between 2022 and 2023, not one but two films were made with Elvis Presley as the subject: Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-winning “Elvis” and Sophia Coppola’s “Priscilla” — the latter of which is based on Priscilla’s 1985 memoir, “Elvis and Me.” The film stars Jacob Elordi as the King of Rock and Roll, with Cailee Spaeny portraying Priscilla from ages 14 to 27, the ages she was romantically involved with Elvis. “Priscilla” is a personal and intimate look at Presley’s early relationship with and marriage to Elvis, which has often been overshadowed by the late singer’s fame. “It’s very difficult to sit and watch a film about you, about your life, about your love,” Priscilla said during a September press conference at the Venice Film Festival “Priscilla” premiere (via Variety). “Sofia did an amazing job. She did her homework, we spoke a couple of times, and I really put everything out for her that I could.”
Priscilla met Elvis in 1959, when she was 14 years old and he was a 24-year-old armor intelligence specialist stationed in Germany, per People. The two had a long-distance relationship for four years, before Priscilla moved in with Elvis in his Graceland estate in 1963. Elvis proposed in 1966, and the two wed on May 1, 1967. Less than a year later, the couple welcomed their only child, Lisa Marie Presley, on Feb. 1, 1968. Priscilla and Elvis were married for four years before she broke off their marriage in February 1972, with their divorce being finalized in August of that year. Despite ending their relationship, Priscilla and Elvis remained close friends until the singer’s death in 1977.
After Elvis’ death, Priscilla had a successful career of her own and was romantically linked to a number of celebrity figures throughout the 1970s and 1980s, ranging from Robert Kardashian to Richard Gere. Here’s a look at Priscilla’s life after Elvis and where she is today.
What Happened to Priscilla Presley After Her Divorce From Elvis?
After divorcing Elvis, Priscilla launched her own business ventures. In 1973, she opened up Bis & Beau, a boutique in Los Angeles, with Olivia Bis, a fashion designer who used to make Priscilla’s clothes when she was married to Elvis, according to a 1973 interview with Priscilla for Ladies’ Home Journal. When Elvis died in 1977, Priscilla became a coexecutor of his estate, along with Lisa Marie and Elvis’s father, Vernon Presley. With Graceland costing more to maintain than it was bringing in, Priscilla turned it into a tourist attraction in 1982, which raised its value from a mere $1 million to $75 million, as reported by the LA Times.
In the 1980s, Priscilla began her career on screen, making her acting debut in the 1983 TV movie “Love Is Forever,” according to IMDb. She notably starred as Jenna Wade in the beloved soap opera “Dallas” from 1983 to 1988, as well as Jane Spencer in the Naked Gun film series. In addition to her various acting gigs, Priscilla also wrote her first book, a memoir titled “Elvis and Me,” which hit shelves in 1985. The book was a New York Times bestseller and served as the basis for “Priscilla.” She also contributed to David Ritz’s 2006 book, “Elvis by the Presleys,” with daughter Lisa Marie.
Image Source: Everett Collection
Outside of her business ventures, Priscilla has also had some notable romances since Elvis. After separating from the King of Rock and Roll in 1972, she dated martial arts instructor Michael Stone until 1975, per Us Weekly. From 1975 to 1976, she briefly dated Robert Kardashian, and following their split, she was in a relationship with actor and model Michael Edwards from 1978 to 1984. In the early 1980s, she met screenwriter Marco Garibaldi through a mutual friend, and the pair were a couple from 1984 to 2006, as reported by Biography. They had a son, Navarone Garcia, in 1987.
Where Is Priscilla Presley Now?
Image Source: Getty / Daniele Venturelli
Today, Priscilla lives in California. Her only daughter with Elvis, Lisa Marie, tragically died due to complications caused by a bowel obstruction on Jan. 12.
The news of Lisa Marie’s death fueled media reports that Priscilla and granddaughter Riley Keough were in a fierce battle over Lisa Marie’s estate, Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE), though the two reached a settlement agreement in May, per the LA Times. She openly praised Luhrmann’s “Elvis” and attended a number of red carpet premieres and conducted interviews about the film.
Priscilla also served as an executive producer for “Priscilla” and works to keep her late husband’s legacy alive. On the 45th anniversary of Elvis’s death in August 2022, she held a candlelit vigil at Graceland with more than 30,000 people in attendance, per Today.
Catch “Priscilla” in theaters now, and watch the trailer below.